


I needed a reason to talk (flirt) with you

by ayakocho



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Characters and relationships will be added as they appear, M/M, Pet Shop AU, Rating may change depending on what I write in future chapters, Viktor with a k because I started with it so might as well continue with it, Yuuri with two 'u's, so I don't confuse myself between Yuuri and Yuri since I don't call him Yurio in this, that literally no one asked for
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-30
Updated: 2017-03-30
Packaged: 2018-09-20 23:31:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 10,741
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9520913
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ayakocho/pseuds/ayakocho
Summary: Katsuki Yuuri, owner of a small pet shop in Detroit, had to break his glasses during work, leaving him unable to properly see for the rest of the day. He also had the bad luck to encounter an oddball customer that day.---Viktor Nikiforov was in Detroit for a joint training session between figure skating coaches Yakov and Celestino. On one of his off days, he enters a small pet shop and meets the most adorable man he has ever laid his eyes on and instantly develops a crush.Thus began Viktor "thirsty af" Nikiforov’s quest to woo the unknowing beauty Katsuki Yuuri.





	1. Chapter 1

Yuuri cursed under his breath in Japanese. Why did he leave his glasses on the edge of the counter where it could fall on the floor easily? Why did he have to be so blind without his glasses?

He had taken off his glasses to rub at his sleep deprived eyes (curse his night owl lifestyle) and had accidentally knocked them off the counter when trying to pick them back up. In search of them, he took one step forward, preparing to kneel down, when he heard the loudest cracking noise ever. He squinted at the ground, barely making out the bright blue frame of his glasses, before he knelt down and examined the damage. When he saw that the lens of his glasses had practically shattered, he let out a deep sigh. He usually didn’t bring his spare pair of glasses out with him so he was going to be practically blind the rest of the day.

Letting out another deep sigh, Yuuri called for his best friend and coworker to come help him clean up the mess that was his glasses, since he didn’t want to accidentally injure himself on the glass of his lenses because he couldn’t see the smaller pieces.

Phichit came bounding out from the back room of the shop, the usual friendly smile on his face.

“What is it Yuuri~?” he asked in his usual cheerful voice, adding on a “What happened to your glasses?” when he noticed Yuuri did not have his signature pair of glasses on.

Yuuri gave a sheepish grin and pointed to the floor below him.

“I might have kind of broke them… So can you help me get a broom and dustpan to sweep up the mess…?”

Phichit stared at the mess of plastic and glass on the floor that was once Yuuri’s glasses before running to the storage closet to get out the broom and dustpan.

“Honestly Yuuri you’ve got to be more careful where you put your glasses. You know you’re blind without them!” his best friend scolded him. Yuuri could only offer him another apologetic smile.

“Well since you can’t see well now just stay here at the counter till closing time! I’ll handle everything else in the shop,” Phichit said confidently.

“But there’s still a lot to do like cleaning-”

Phichit shushed his friend. “No buts. You’re more of a hazard than a help without your glasses. Just sit here and man the counter! You can at least handle money without your glasses right?”

Yuuri sighed in defeat. There was no way to win against Phichit when he was this determined. “Sure. Just don’t overwork yourself alright?”

Phichit gave Yuuri a thumbs up before walking off to the back of the shop to dispose of the broken glasses and prepare for the remaining work in the shop.

He was thankful Phichit, his best friend and roommate, was here to help him run the shop even though he was still in college and busy with school work. He didn’t know what would’ve happened if he had to clean and maintain the shop while being unable to properly see.

Yuuri watched as Phichit’s blurry figure disappeared and then lay his head on the cool marble counter top. Why did he have to be so clumsy…

Midway through his thoughts, he heard the chime of the bell at the front door, signalling that a customer had come in. Yuuri looked around but couldn’t see Phichit, so he decided to go and assist the customer himself.

From what Yuuri could see with his blurry vision, the customer was tall, had grey hair and wore a dark brown coat. Was he an elderly person? He couldn’t really make out the colours of the customer’s eyes. Blue?

“Excuse me…” Yuuri said softly “May I help you?”

The customer turned to look at him, and took awhile to answer.

“...Actually, yes. I was wondering if you sell any dog food here? For a poodle.”

He sure had nice voice for someone this old, Yuuri thought.

Putting on his business smile, Yuuri directed him to where the dog food was usually displayed on the shelves. After he had chosen a few bags of one of the brands displayed there, Yuuri directed him back to the cashier where he scanned the bags and the customer paid for his purchase.

As Yuuri was placing the notes into the cashier, the customer suddenly spoke.

“I’m sorry if this comes off a little weird, but is it alright if I ask you for help on poodle care? You see I’m currently buying dog food for my pet poodle who I just adopted a few days ago and I’m not really sure how I should go about caring for it…”

“Um… sure? What do you want to know?” Yuuri replied, slightly shocked that the customer had asked him such a sudden question.

“Um… How many times a week do I need to brush my poodle?” the customer asked, sounding a little nervous, “I mean, poodles look best when the grooming is done right and I want my poodle to look nothing but the best!”

“I see. Well, generally they just need to be groomed regularly so maybe once a week?” Yuuri replied. He knew more than enough about poodles, since he himself owned one.

“Oh that’s very helpful! Thank you so much um… Yuuri?”

Yuuri was slightly frazzled when the customer called out his name, but then he remembered he was wearing a name tag so obviously the customer could easily find out his name.

“You’re welcome Mr. um… I’m sorry but may I know your name?”

“Oh I’m sorry I did not introduce myself! I’m Vikenti Fedotov.”

“Then, you’re welcome Mr. Fedotov,” Yuuri said, giving the customer a smile.

He thought the customer would leave after this, since his purchase had been made and his question had been answered, but the customer was still standing there.

Yuuri, a little worried now since he was facing a stranger, asked nervously, “Is… Is there anything I can help you with, Mr. Fedotov?”

“Actually, yes. Is it fine if I call your shop occasionally to ask for some more tips on how to care for poodles? You seem quite experienced.”

“Huh?” was Yuuri’s first response. This was the first time a customer had made such an odd request.

After a few moments, Yuuri realised he had yet to give an actual answer and that the customer was still standing there, staring at him, waiting for his answer.

“Um...sure?”

“Really?! Oh that’s great! Thank you!”

The customer suddenly grabbed his hands and shook them. Yuuri, flustered and confused by the sudden contact, could only nervously smile and nod his head.

The odd customer finally left after he took down the store’s number and thanked Yuuri for his help once again. Yuuri turned and leaned against the counter top, exhausted from having to deal with such a surprising customer.

“I hope I don’t have to deal with that again…” he mumbled. He didn’t think he could take another round of that customer’s high energy and unpredictable behaviour.

Meanwhile, said customer was walking back to his apartment with a skip in his step, very pleased with the conversation he had with the cute Asian man in the pet shop.

 

\---x---x---x---

 

Viktor stood in front of a closed pet shop, arms crossed.

This was the shop he usually visited to buy Makkachin’s dog food and treats. He had been hoping to come here to buy more since his supplies were running low only to find that it was sadly closed for the day.

He sighed and walked back towards his apartment. Guess he could wait a day or so to buy the food.

That was when he noticed another pet shop on the other side of the street. He had never noticed it on his way back from his usual shop. Was it new maybe?

Since he was already out he might as well check it out and see if they carried the same brand of dog food he was looking for, Viktor thought and made his way across the street.

When he entered, he heard the soft jingling of bells, and noticed immediately how cozy the store’s interior looked. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed some movement and turned to look.

That was his first mistake.

A man with jet black hair and big brown eyes was walking towards him. From the way he was dressed, Viktor could tell he was a store attendant.

_Were eyes supposed to sparkle like that? And damn did those lips look so soft and kissable…_

Viktor quickly jerked his head to look away from the man, trying to calm his thoughts.

“Excuse me, may I help you?” He heard the store attendant ask.

Viktor risked turning back to look at him. Now this close, he could see the man’s eyes better. The rich brown colour…

He willed himself to give an answer before he creeped out the other man with his staring.

“...Actually, yes. I was wondering if you sell any dog food here? For a poodle.”

The man before him smiled and started to direct him to a shelf near the side where he said they displayed the dog food. Viktor followed silently behind him.

 _He has a nice ass_ , Viktor thought. _No no no stop thinking like that about a man you just met._

Snapping himself out of his thoughts, he realised the shop attendant had stopped at one of the shelves and was pointing out the dog food.

Viktor took a deep breath and walked towards the indicated shelf, trying to focus on finding his desired brand of dog food.

Surprisingly enough, they did indeed stock it.

Viktor picked up several bags of dog food and followed the attendant back to what looked like the cashier. He passed the bags of food over the counter and watched as the man scanned the code bars and told him the total price.

_Oh, this is cheaper than the shop I usually go to. Maybe I should come here instead. Plus there’s a cute guy to look at. But wait, if I come here to just buy dog food I would only see him every month or so. I need a reason to speak to him. Come on Viktor Nikiforov you can think up of an excuse to chat up the cute shop attendant at a pet shop can’t you?_

Viktor’s mind was on overdrive as he stared at the shop attendant place the notes he had passed him into the cashier.

Suddenly, a light bulb flashed over his head.

“I’m sorry if this comes off a little weird, but is it alright if I ask you for help on poodle care? You see I’m currently buying dog food for my pet poodle who I just adopted a few days ago and I’m not really sure how I should go about caring for it…” Viktor asked, offering a small smile.

The shop attendant stared at him for a few moments.

_Good job Nikiforov you just creeped the cute guy out._

“Um… sure? What do you want to know?”

_Oh?_

“Um… How many times a week do I need to brush my poodle? I mean, poodles look best when the grooming is done right and I want my poodle to look nothing but the best!”

Did that come off too forced? It was a pretty simple question one could have just easily googled themselves.

“I see. Well, generally they just need to be groomed regularly so maybe once a week?” the shop attendant answered.

Viktor was thankful the other man actually bothered to consider his question and answer, even though it was ridiculously simple.

“Oh that’s very helpful! Thank you so much um…” Viktor only then noticed that the other man was wearing a name tag. “Yuuri?”

_Oh, another Yuuri?_

The shop attendant, Yuuri, seemed slightly taken aback when his name was suddenly called.

It took awhile before he answered again. “You’re welcome Mr. um… I’m sorry but may I know your name?”

Viktor was surprised, to say the least. Did this man not know he was? Then maybe it wasn’t best to introduce himself as _the_ Viktor Nikiforov. The other man may not recognise his looks but surely he would recognise the name that has been on the news multiple times this past year.

“Oh I’m sorry I did not introduce myself! I’m Vikenti Fedotov.”

Coming up with a fake name that was not generic and obviously fake on the spot was not easy. And of all the names he could have given he gave a Russian name. Viktor prayed it wouldn’t tip the other off.

“Then, you’re welcome Mr. Fedotov.” Yuuri replied, not seeming to doubt him, and even giving him a small smile.

In Viktor’s opinion, the smile the other man gave was brighter than the sun and Viktor could feel his cheeks heating up slightly.

Viktor did not realise he was staring at the man in front of him again until said man spoke.

“Is… Is there anything I can help you with, Mr. Fedotov?”

Damn he probably thought Viktor was some creep at this point, always staring at him.

 _But wait_ , Viktor thought, _if I say no now, then I wouldn’t have any other reason to speak to him._

“Actually, yes. Is it fine if I call your shop occasionally to ask for some more tips on how to care for poodles? You seem quite experienced.”

_Nice save Nikiforov._

“Huh?”

Yuuri seemed surprised. Gosh he probably thought Viktor was some persistent and creepy customer.

“Um...sure?”

Viktor’s eyes widened in surprise.

“Really?! Oh that’s great! Thank you!”

He was so happy he wanted to just hug the smaller man. But the rational part of his brain told him that would be too direct and would just make the other man more uncomfortable and wary of him, so he just settled for enthusiastically shaking Yuuri’s hands.

After getting the shop’s phone number from Yuuri, Viktor gave another cheerful “thank you!” before leaving the shop.

He clutched the paper with the shop’s number to his chest, smiling widely at nothing in particular.

The people walking past him gave him odd looks but he didn’t really mind. He was just so happy that he could continue talking to the cute man from the pet shop.

He was practically skipping with joy as he walked back to his apartment.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case of any confusion, each ---x---x---x--- means that there's a change in POV. 
> 
> Each chapter is one moment but told from several people's perspectives.
> 
> Enjoy!

A phone rang loudly in the shop.

Yuuri sighed, stopping halfway through cleaning the fish tanks to go pick it up.

“Hello, you have reached K’s pet shop. How may I help you?” he asked in the most cheerful tone he could muster at the moment.

“Oh Yuuri you picked up! Hello!” the voice on the other end greeted happily.

“Mr. Fedotov…” Yuuri sighed. Of course it was Vikenti calling again. Who else would bother to call a small, no-name pet shop in the middle of the afternoon. Only this oddball of a customer apparently.

“Yuuri! I told you already, just call me Vikto- Vikenti! Mr. Fedotov is just way too formal!”

“Yes, sorry...Vikenti.” It was hard for Yuuri who had been taught to be polite since young to address his customer so casually.

“It’s alright, Yuuri!  Just remember next time!” there was a pause before the man continued speaking. “Anyway Yuuri, I called today to ask you what tricks I can teach Makka. She already knows sit, stay, fetch… I was thinking of teaching her something that can surprise others!”

“Hmmm…” Yuuri wracked his brains for any “surprising” ideas. He hadn’t taught his own toy poodle, Vicchan, many tricks. And he didn’t know what Vikenti considered as “surprising”.

In the end, he decided to just suggest him a standard trick he had seen several people online teach their poodles.

“Well you can try teaching her to bounce? Since poodles are somewhat active dogs it is a good way for them to release some of their pent up energy.”

“Oh Yuuri that’s a great idea! I’ll go look up how to train her after I finish work. Thank you!”

“You’re welcome, Vikenti,” Yuuri said, a small smile on his face. He was glad he was at least of some help to his customer.

“Dog tricks aside, Yuuri how was your day? My boss was such a tyrant today as well. He made us work for 5 hours straight without a break. My whole body aches now…” Vikenti whined.

Yuuri stifled a giggle. Vikenti was always complaining about his boss and how much he suffered under him. It made Yuuri thankful he worked in a shop he owned and had no slave driver of a boss to torment him.

“There there Vikenti. Maybe you should teach Makka to give you a massage instead when you get home.”

“Oh a doggy massage! That sounds lovely. But I would rather someone else give me a massage.”

“And who would this someone else be?”

“Hmmm… Maybe a charming man with soft black hair, bright brown eyes and a cute smile who happens to work at a certain pet shop…?”

“Vikenti. Are you seriously asking me to go over to your house and give you a massage.” Yuuri chuckled.

“Maybe I am?” Vikenti replied in a playful tone. Yuuri could practically hear him smirking over the phone.

“Vikenti, I don’t even know where you live. Plus, the only way you can contact me is through the shop’s phone. How would I inform you when I arrive?”

“Well then, how about we solve that problem. Yuuri, would you give me your phone number?”

“Would that make you stop calling the shop everyday.”

“Of course! I only call so I can talk to you, Yuuri.”

Yuuri felt his heart skip a beat and his cheeks become warmer.

“O-Oh, is that so… Well if it’ll make you stop increasing the shop’s phone bill then sure.”

He heard Vikenti gasp loudly into the phone and chuckled.

Yuuri slowly read out his phone number to Vikenti and the other man messaged him once to confirm he had taken the number down correctly and to exchange numbers. He quickly saved the other man’s contacts.

“Just don’t spam me with text messages and calls, okay?” Yuuri warned.

“I will try my best,” the other man replied.

“Vikenti…”

“Yuuri, I really enjoy talking to you. So I will try my best not to disturb you during working hours. But is it okay to talk to you more after that?”

“...Sure. I..really enjoy talking to you too Vikenti…”

They lapsed into an oddly comfortable moment of silence.

“Yuuri, actually I have something to tell you. I-”

But before the other man could finish his sentence, a shout was heard from somewhere in the shop, followed by a loud crash. Next came Phichit loudly shouting from somewhere in the shop.

“Yuuri! Can you please stop talking to your boyfriend for one moment and come help me!”

“Phichit!” Yuuri cried, his cheeks becoming even warmer. He was sure he looked like a tomato at this point.

Over the phone, he could hear Vikenti laughing.

“I’m sorry Vikenti I have to go back to work now…”

“It’s alright, Yuuri. Go help your friend. I have to get back to work as well. My break just ended and I’m sure my boss is looking for me right this moment.”

Yuuri chuckled. “Better go before you anger him any further.”

He heard Vikenti sigh. “I’ll text you after work?”

“I’ll look forward to it. Bye, Vikenti.”

“Bye bye, Yuuri.”

With that, Yuuri put down the phone and walked towards where he thought Phichit was.

He didn’t realise how fast his heart was beating till the call ended and he swore his face was a nice shade of pink. He tried his best to calm down before he reached were Phichit was.

When he found the other man, Yuuri was met with a mess of hamster cages, tubes and toys on the floor before him.

“Phichit…”

The man only give him a sheepish grin. “Whoops?”

 

\---x---x---x---

 

Since that fateful day two months ago, Viktor couldn’t stop thinking about the cute man he had met at the pet shop. How his eyes were just that perfect shade of brown. How soft his hair looked. How nice his ass was…

Viktor slapped both hands on his face to snap himself out of his daydreaming.

_You have the GPF season coming up. Focus on crafting and perfecting your routines instead of some cute guy’s ass._

He had come to Detroit to train because Yakov decided to hold a joint practice camp with Celestino to prepare for the next season and he really should be making the most of this experience. But instead here he was, infatuated with some cute guy he met at the pet shop 2 months ago.

“Maybe I should create a programme in appreciation of that great ass…” he mumbled to himself as he skated lazily in figure eights.

“Vitya! What are you doing. I told you to focus on your routines but here you are daydreaming. Get off the ice if you’re not doing anything productive. You’re a hazard to both yourself and other skaters in your current state. Go take a break and clear your head,” Yakov scolded from the side of the rink.

_Whoops._

Viktor skated to the exit of the rink and put on his skate guards before sitting down on the benches to rest. He watched as Yuri practiced his jumps with great determination then turned to look at MIla stretching and Georgi discussing something with Yakov.

It didn’t take long before he was bored with watching his rink mates and turned to checking his phone. He noted that it was already past lunch time and around the time he usually called Yuuri.

For the past few weeks he had been calling the pet shop Yuuri worked at, oddly named K’s pet shop, everyday. He honestly couldn’t go a day without hearing Yuuri’s calm, angelic voice.

In the beginning, Viktor only called the shop once or twice a week and tried to engage Yuuri in simple conversation about nothing really important. But then he started to crave hearing the other man’s sweet voice and began calling the shop every other day. Which eventually led to him now calling the shop everyday to ask Yuuri about some small and sometimes insignificant poodle fact he already knew the answer to (he has had Makkachin for almost 15 years already) and then attempt to flirt with him over the phone.

He made his way to the locker rooms, giving a short greeting to Mila who he passed by on the way there and yelling at Yakov to inform him he was going out to get lunch.

Once in the privacy of the locker rooms, Viktor quickly pulled up his contacts and dialed Yuuri’s number. The line rang a few times before the person on the other end picked up.

“Hello, you have reached K’s pet shop. How may I help you?” the voice on the other end greeted.

Viktor’s heartbeat quickened.

“Oh Yuuri you picked up! Hello!” he replied, trying to contain his overflowing happiness.

“Mr. Fedotov…”

“Yuuri! I told you already, just call me Vikto- Vikenti! Mr. Fedotov is just way too formal!” Whoops almost let the cat out of the bag.

“Yes, sorry...Vikenti.” the other man apologised.

“It’s alright, Yuuri. Just remember next time!” he replied cheerfully and then took a moment to decide on his poodle-related question for today. “Anyway Yuuri, I called today to ask you what tricks I can teach Makka. She already knows sit, stay, fetch… I was thinking of teaching her something that can surprise others!”

“Hmmm…”

That was the only reply Viktor got before the other stopped talking. The longer the silence went on, the more worried he got. Did Yuuri think that his question was too ridiculous and decided to ignore him? Viktor was silently panicking now.

After what felt like an eternity to Viktor, Yuuri started speaking again.

“Well you can try teaching her to bounce? Since poodles are somewhat active dogs it is a good way for them to release some of their pent up energy.”

Viktor let out a sigh of relief before he replied.

“Oh Yuuri that’s a great idea! I’ll go look up how to train her after I finish work. Thank you!”

“You’re welcome, Vikenti.”

The gentle tone of Yuuri’s voice made Viktor’s cheeks warmer.

“Dog tricks aside, Yuuri how was your day? My boss was such a tyrant today as well. He made us work for 5 hours straight without a break. My whole body aches now…”

Well that wasn’t exactly a lie. He had indeed trained for 5 hours straight since he stepped into the ice rink this morning and his feet were aching from being in his ice skates for so long.

Viktor heard Yuuri softly giggling over the phone and he swore that he would do anything to hear this melodic sound every day of his life.

“There there Vikenti. Maybe you should teach Makka to give you a massage instead when you get home,” Yuuri replied.

“Oh a doggy massage! That sounds lovely,” because it indeed did sound lovely to have his dear Makkachin pampering him, “But I would rather someone else give me a massage.”

“And who would this someone else be?”

“Hmmm… Maybe a charming man with soft black hair, bright brown eyes and a cute smile who happens to work at a certain pet shop…?”

An image of Yuuri’s face floated into Viktor’s mind and he smiled at the memory.

“Vikenti. Are you seriously asking me to go over to your house and give you a massage.”

 _Ah there is that sweet sound again_ , Viktor thought when he heard Yuuri give an amused chuckle.

“Maybe I am?” Viktor replied in a playful tone, his lips changing from a smile to a smirk.

“Vikenti, I don’t even know where you live. Plus, the only way you can contact me is through the shop’s phone. How would I inform you when I arrive?”

_That’s true. Hmmm maybe it’s time to…_

“Well then, how about we solve that problem. Yuuri, would you give me your phone number?”

After the question was asked, Viktor held his breath. He finally did it. He had finally asked Yuuri for his personal phone number. He felt his heartbeat quicken even more, nervous and excited.

“Would that make you stop calling the shop everyday.”

“Of course! I only call so I can talk to you, Yuuri.”

Viktor had replied without thinking. Calling only because he wanted to talk to Yuuri? The more he thought about what he said the creepier it sounded. He hoped Yuuri didn’t think he was some freak obsessed with him after that line. A million thoughts and worst-case scenarios rushed through Viktor’s mind as he waited for Yuuri’s response.

“O-Oh, is that so… Well if it’ll make you stop increasing the shop’s phone bill then sure,” Yuuri finally replied.

Viktor gasped. He couldn’t believe it. Was Yuuri actually going to give him his phone number. And was Yuuri laughing again?

_Guess helping that old lady cross the road yesterday paid off._

When Yuuri started slowly reading out his phone number, Viktor scrambled to put his phone on speaker mode, open his contacts and add Yuuri’s personal number to it. He quickly sent a short message to Yuuri to confirm and exchange numbers.

> Viktor [1.30pm]: Hello Yuuri! This is Vikenti! :)
> 
> Yuuri <3 [1.30pm]: Hello! :)

“Just don’t spam me with text messages and calls, okay?” Yuuri warned after they exchanged numbers.

“I will try my best,” Viktor replied. He wasn’t sure he could contain his urges to message Yuuri since he wanted to interact with the other as much as possible and his uncertainty was picked up by Yuuri.

“Vikenti…” the other man began.

But Viktor cut him off.

“Yuuri, I really enjoy talking to you. So I will try my best not to disturb you during working hours. But is it okay to talk to you more after that?”

“...Sure. I..really enjoy talking to you too Vikenti…”

At that line Viktor felt his heartbeat quicken to a dizzying pace and a warm rush of blood flow into his face. Did Yuuri just say...he enjoyed talking to him too? Were his feelings probably reciprocated? No he probably thought of Viktor as a _friend_ who was nice to talk to.

_This man is going to be the death of me._

For a few moments neither of them spoke, both waiting for the other to make the next move. But oddly enough, the silence wasn’t awkward and was instead rather comforting.

Viktor was the first to continue their conversation. He wanted to tell Yuuri about his feelings, or at least somewhat hint at them. After that last sentence he was rather confident that Yuuri at least held some level of affection for him and he was going to bet on this.

“Yuuri, actually I have something to tell you. I-” but Viktor wasn’t able to finish his sentence when a loud shout and the sound of several heavy items falling on the floor came from the other end of the call.

“Yuuri! Can you please stop talking to your boyfriend for one moment and come help me!” he heard someone shout over the phone.

_Boyfriend?_

“Phichit!” Yuuri cried. He sounded flustered. And upon imagining a blushing and panicking Yuuri, Viktor let out a laugh.

He also made a note to talk to this “Phichit” guy who seemed to think they were dating. If he already thought they were a couple then he could maybe help encourage Yuuri to date him.

“I’m sorry Vikenti I have to go back to work now…” Yuuri said in a soft voice.

“It’s alright, Yuuri. Go help your friend. I have to get back to work as well. My break just ended and I’m sure my boss is looking for me right this moment,” Viktor lied.

He heard Yuuri chuckle before he replied, “Better go before you anger him any further.”

Viktor sighed at the lovely sound. He didn’t want to end the call with Yuuri now but he knew he had to let the other man go so he could help his friend with whatever happened.

“I’ll text you after work?” Viktor asked, voice hopeful.

“I’ll look forward to it. Bye, Vikenti.”

“Bye bye, Yuuri.”

With that, Viktor ended their call and let out a breath he didn’t realise he had been holding. He checked the time on his phone again and realised that they had been talking for only 30 minutes.

 _That’s way too short…_ Viktor thought sadly.

He then opened his messaging app and looked at his conversation with Yuuri. After some consideration, he decided to send a message.

> Viktor [1.37pm]: I wish I could talk to you longer :(

When Yuuri didn’t reply immediately, Viktor sighed and placed his phone back into his pocket, changing to proper shoes and heading out of the ice rink for a quick lunch before resuming practice, this time with more focus and determination.

It was only later that night, after Viktor had eaten dinner and was currently snuggling with Makkachin on the couch while he scrolled through his twitter timeline, that he received a reply from Yuuri.

> Yuuri <3 [8.09pm]: Me too :)

Viktor would never admit that that night, he was brought to tears over a single text message. He had never been happier.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking so long to update! School was really busy and I didn't have time to write :(
> 
> I hope you like this chapter! It's actually the longest one I have written so far. I'm not 100% satisfied with it so I may come back and make some minor changes in future.

Yuuri watched happily as the small black rabbit happily hopped around its cage.

They had just received her recently and Yuuri was worried that she would feel overly stressed about the new environment. He was glad to see that she was adjusting well.

On a whim, he took his phone out and took a picture of the rabbit to send to Vikenti. 

> Yuuri [1.35pm]:  _ image _
> 
> Yuuri [1.35pm]: Rocky says hello!
> 
> Yuuri [1.35pm]: She’s been in a good mood lately and I thought you might like cute rabbit photos?

Yuuri smiled as he checked the messages he had just sent. He hoped the rabbit photo would help cheer up Vikenti, since he always was always complaining about how tiring work was.

_ Speaking of work _ , Yuuri thought, _ where is Phichit? _

He got up from where he was kneeling in front of Rocky’s cage and walked towards where the hamster cages were. If Phichit was slacking off he would definitely be there.

And true enough, Phichit was sitting on the floor in front of the hamster cages, cradling several hamsters in his hands. He was softly cooing at them as they tried to climb out of his hands.

Yuuri understood that Phichit loved hamsters. But Phichit was at the store for a reason, and that reason was to help Yuuri run it.

Yuuri cleared his throat to get Phichit’s attention.

When Phichit looked up and saw Yuuri standing there, arms crossed, he could only offer him a sheepish grin.

Yuuri sighed and shook his head, gesturing towards the hamster cages. Phichit pouted but complied, opening a hamster cage and gently placing the hamsters into it one by one.

During this time, Yuuri took out his phone and snapped a photo of his coworker, sending it to Vikenti.

> Yuuri [1.50pm]:  _ image _
> 
> Yuuri [1.50pm]: I should have hired someone who doesn’t keep playing with the hamsters instead of doing work

He noted the other man had yet to reply his previous messages, but he chalked it up to him being busy with work, as he always said he was.

It was only then that he realised how late it already was. He had a supplier’s meeting to get to and if he didn’t leave in the next 10 minutes he would definitely be late.

Yuuri frantically ran to the backroom to change and grab the necessary documents before rushing to the door. Phichit was there, ready to send him off.

Yuuri checked the time on his phone before looking at Phichit.

“Please don’t break anything while I’m gone.”

Phichit gasped.

“Yuuri! How can you not trust me to keep this shop safe and sound!” Phichit exclaimed, ever dramatic, placing a hand on his chest for greater effect.

Yuuri, however, fell for none of this.

“Phichit, the last time I left you alone to watch the shop you broke 3 fish tanks, let almost all the hamsters escape from their cages-”

“They were begging to be freed Yuuri!”

“-and almost caused a small fire.”

“Yuuri~,” Phichit whined, “I already said I was sorry and I cleaned up all the broken glass before any person or animal got hurt and I managed to catch all the hamsters and put them back in their cages and that fire was bound to happen with some of the old cabling this place has!”

Yuuri sighed and checked the time on his phone again. “Please don’t let there be a repeat of last time.”

“Roger! I promise to keep the shop safe and sound!” Phichit replied, giving a mock salute.

Yuuri chuckled at his actions and turned to leave the shop.

“I’ll be back by 4!” he called as he left.

“See you later, Yuuri! Good luck at the supplier’s meeting!” Phichit called back.

Once Phichit saw Yuuri board the cab, he jumped up from where he was seated behind the counter and ran towards the area of the shop where they kept their hamsters. Yuuri did say not to let them out of their cages but he didn’t say Phichit couldn’t play with them, which was exactly what the young Thai man did.

Sadly, his play time was cut short when the phone in the shop started ringing.

Usually only a few customers called the shop, since they were just a small pet shop. Phichit couldn’t think about who would call at this hour.

Sighing and putting down the hamster he was currently petting, Phichit walked over to the counter where the phone was to pick up the call, his rehearsed greeting coming out instantly.

“Hello! You have reached K’s pet shop! How may I help you?”

“...Yuuri?”

Huh? Who would call the shop looking for Yuuri? 

It only took a few seconds for Phichit to piece everything together and snap out of his confusion.

“Oh! You must be Vikenti right? Or should I say Mr. Viktor Nikiforov? Sorry, Yuuri’s out at the moment for a supplier’s meeting. You can either hang up now and call back later around 4 or you could continue talking to me,” Phichit replied cheerfully. He heard the other man gasp when he made it clear that he knew his real identity.

“How do you know,” the other man demanded.

“Well, firstly, I  _ am _ an employee of this shop. And secondly, I was present when you walked in and started  _ flirting _ with my best friend. Thankfully you didn’t notice me since you only had eyes for Yuuri,” Phichit replied as casually as possible. “And thirdly, as a figure skating fan there is no way I wouldn’t recognise you, Mr living legend.”

The other end of the line was silent for a moment before Viktor let out a sigh and started speaking again.

“Well, at least you got my surname right. Does Yuuri know…?”

“Oh don’t worry. Yuuri broke his glasses that day and couldn’t see a thing. So he probably doesn’t even remember how you look like.”

A sigh of relief could be heard from the other man. Phichit chuckled.

“Also,” Phichit continued, “If Yuuri knew who you really were he wouldn’t be talking to you every day of the week.”

“What do you mean?” Viktor asked, sounding confused.

“Well… I wonder if he’ll end our friendship if I tell you. Hmm… He would probably end it anyway when he finds out I didn’t tell him he was texting  _ the _ Viktor Nikiforov all this time when I knew all along,” Phichit rambled on, “So I shall tell you a secret of Yuuri’s. If and only if you swear that you are truly interested in him.”

“I am. It has been a long time since someone has managed to make me feel so alive. For more than 20 years I have disregarded my love and life, but Yuuri has taught me so much about them in the short time I have known him,” the other man gushed, making Phichit cringe at how sappy he was. He didn’t know what Yuuri had said to him to teach him about “love and life”, considering the man in question wasn’t exactly great at life himself.

“Alright. I just wanted to add on that if you ever hurt Yuuri in any way, be it emotionally or physically. If he ever comes crying to me because of you I will not hesitate to hurt you. Even if you are living legend and five time World champion Viktor Nikiforov, if you ever do anything to hurt my best friend, I will personally find you and end you.”

“Um… okay?” The reply was tentative, as if Viktor was afraid to anger Phichit.

“Well now that that’s out of the way,” Phichit continued on cheerfully, “Yuuri’s secret is that he’s actually a huge fan of yours. Like, really huge. Way more than I am.”

“Wow.”

“So try not to shock him too much whenever you choose to reveal who you really are. He has a fragile heart.”

“I’ll try to keep that in mind.” Phichit could hear Viktor chuckling on the other end.

“Mr. Nikiforov-”

“Viktor is fine.”

“Okay. Viktor, I hope that you are taking my words seriously. I do not ever want to see Yuuri hurt because of something you carelessly said, even if you intended for it to be a joke. I will literally hunt you down and demand an explanation because god knows Yuuri would never tell me himself.”

“I understand. You made yourself pretty clear the first time,” Viktor replied, this time more calmly than Phichit would’ve liked him to be. 

“Glad my point got across,” Phichit said with a huff. He felt something akin to pride in having successfully given world famous figure skater Viktor Nikiforov the shovel talk.

“I’m glad Yuuri has someone around him that cares for him so much. You are a great friend erm…” Viktor trailed off. It only then occurred to Phichit that he hadn’t introduced himself to the other man.

“Oh! I’m sorry. I forgot to introduce myself,” Phichit said apologetically, “I’m Phichit Chulanont. Best friend of Katsuki Yuuri and employee of the month at K’s Pet Shop!”

“I see,” Viktor replied with a chuckle, “You are a great friend for Yuuri, Mr. Chulanont. Did I pronounce that right?”

“Yes you did and Phichit is fine.”

“Thank you for telling me about Yuuri, Phichit. I will keep your words in mind.”

“You better.”

This somehow caused Viktor to laugh, which in turn also made Phichit laugh.

“Yuuri will be done around 3 or 4 in the afternoon. You can call him then. I’m sure you’d rather be spending your time talking to him than to me,” Phichit said once the two of them had stopped laughing.

“I think I’ll just send him a text message. He can read it later. And no, you are actually an incredibly interesting person to talk to, Phichit,” Viktor replied.

“Oh better not let Yuuri hear you say that. What if he gets jealous and comes after me. I may be his best friend but if I steal his man he may really disown me as a friend this time,” Phichit said jokingly. Viktor gave an amused hum.

“I’ll make sure to tell Yuuri I only have eyes for him. That all of me belongs to him. That I will never love another person as much I love Katsuki Yuuri.”

However, before Phichit could reply, another person’s shouting could be heard from the other end of the line. “Oh my gosh you’re such a sap! Just find him and kiss him already Vitya!”

“Mila!” Phichit heard Viktor say in a surprised tone.

“Seems like you’re busy. I wouldn’t want to keep you from whatever you’re supposed to do any longer,” Phichit said.

“Indeed. It seems as though my coach has been looking for me. Well, it was nice talking to you, Phichit. Bye-,” Viktor replied, about to hang up when Phichit suddenly interrupted him.

“Wait! Before you end the call, can we exchange numbers?” Phichit asked, and then added hastily, “You know, in case of Yuuri related emergencies.”

A chuckle was heard from the other side. “Sure. My number is…”

Phichit sent a message to Viktor who replied almost immediately, acknowleding that he had received it.

“Okay. Thanks so much, Viktor. I look forward to sharing another conversation with you. Hopefully the next time we speak it is to plan your wedding?” Phichit asked in a teasing tone.

“W-Wedding?” A chuckle that sounded too forced, too nervous. “You are indeed an interesting person. I too look forward to our next conversation. Goodbye.”

“Goodbye.” And then the call ended with Viktor hanging up first.

Phichit grinned at Viktor’s contact in his phone. Never had he ever thought that he would get Viktor’s phone number. Viktor, Viktor Nikiforov, the most decorated male figure skater of their time, the man he and Yuuri watched videos of almost every night even if they have watched those videos at least 20 times already (and in Yuuri’s case at least 50 times). 

Phichit sighed happily as he locked his phone and placed it on the countertop.

_ Today is a good day,  _ he thought as he lay his head on the cool marble surface.

And it would have continued to be a good day had he not spotted a small blur running along the row of shelves he was currently staring at.

Yuuri was going to kill him when he found out Phichit had forgot to close the doors to the hamster cages properly again.

Thankfully, by the time Yuuri returned, Phichit had managed to catch all the escaped hamsters and place them back in their respective cages, and had double checked to make sure he had closed the small doors properly this time.

 

\---x---x---x---

 

If there was a word to describe Viktor now, it would be lovestruck. There was absolutely no way to miss the lovesick aura radiating off him, the yearning look in his eyes, and the way he seemed to just melt whenever he received a new message.

Viktor Nikiforov was absolutely smitten.

And it was starting to get on Yakov’s nerves.

Yakov had been training Viktor for years. From when he first met the boy at a public rink in St Petersburg, till he finally qualified and instantly topped the Junior’s division, and finally obtaining the title of a living legend.Yakov had been there to witness almost every time Viktor had fallen in and out of love throughout his ice skating career, but this time was by far the worst.

He didn’t know when this started. Viktor had come with him and the rest of the Russian team to train in Detroit with Celestino’s team, a joint training effort they both agreed was necessary to help their younger skaters, and then one day he turned up to the rink looking as if he just met the cutest puppy in the world (Yakov wouldn’t put it past him to just go up to a cute dog and start petting it).

_Perhaps_ , Yakov thought, _that was when it started._

Since that day, he noticed that Viktor was using his phone more often during training. Usually he left it on the benches, beside his other belongings, and only checked it when Yakov yelled at him to go take a break. But now he was leaving it on the barrier, checking it frequently as if waiting for an important text from someone.

Most of the times, it doesn’t look like he received any messages (Yakov could tell from the dejected look on his face). But when he did receive a message, he lit up like a lightbulb, the smile on his face much more relaxed and so different from the one he usually gave the media.

(It's been such a long time since Yakov saw his beloved protege this happy.)

And Yakov was fine with it. Viktor should be allowed to live his life however he wanted, as long as it didn’t affect his skating.

But then it did.

Every time Yakov left him to his own devices, Viktor was always on his phone and was hardly practicing his routine. The Grand Prix Series was beginning in a few months and Yakov was worried that Viktor wasn’t getting enough training in. Though he was sure Viktor, being the adult he was, would be able to manage his time and train appropriately for the competition.

_ As if. _

Yakov knew that even if he did yell at Viktor to stop using his phone so much during practice and actually practice his routine, Viktor wouldn’t listen to a word he said and would continue using his phone during practice and not actually practicing.

_ What am I going to do with this kid… _

Yakov was snapped out of his thoughts when Viktor called over to him to tell him that he was going to take a break in the changing room. 

Yakov glanced at the time on his wristwatch.

2.30pm.

Viktor hadn’t even been on the ice for an hour.

Yakov was about to yell at him to get his butt back on the ice and practice his goddamn routine when he noticed that Viktor was on the phone. He caught a glimpse of a rare serious look on his face before he disappeared into the changing room. 

Yakov decided to let it slip this time.

 

\--x---x---x---

 

Viktor leant on the barrier surrounding the ice rink, breathing shallow and panting slightly.

He had just finished a set of jumps Yakov had asked him to practice. He wasn’t getting any younger. Each physically taxing exercise felt more tiring than the last. Perhaps he should do more stamina training. Or maybe…

_ Maybe it’s time for me to retire after this season. _

Viktor shook his head to get rid of the thought. He may be old for a skater but he was still able to execute jumps perfectly and perform flawless step sequences. There was no reason for him to retire now.

After catching his breath and hydrating himself, Viktor picked up his phone which he had left on top of the barrier next to his bottle and towel.

His fingers automatically moved to open the messaging app once he unlocked his phone, checking for any new messages from Yuuri. There were a few, but they were sent more than half an hour ago. Viktor felt guilty for not replying to them immediately, so he hastily typed out an apology and reply.

> Yuuri <3 [1.35pm]:  _ image _
> 
> Yuuri <3 [1.35pm]: Rocky says hello!
> 
> Yuuri <3 [1.35pm]:  She’s been in a good mood lately and I thought you might like cute rabbit photos?
> 
> Yuuri <3 [1.50pm]:  _ image _
> 
> Yuuri <3 [1.50pm]: I should have hired someone who doesn’t keep playing with the hamsters instead of doing work
> 
> Viktor [2.20pm]: I’m sorry Yuuri! I was working and only just saw your messages!
> 
> Viktor [2.20pm]: Rocky is such a cute bunny! I wish I could pet him now!
> 
> Viktor [2.20pm]: And it is hard to deny the adorable charm of hamsters ;)

Viktor opened Yuuri’s page in his contacts. His finger hovered over the call button.

He really really wanted to hear Yuuri’s voice now (he always did) but he had barely been on the ice for an hour and if he left now Yakov would definitely nag again.

If he had to endure some nagging from Yakov to talk to Yuuri for the next hour or so, it was totally worth it.

Viktor stepped off the ice and put on his skate guards before he called over to Yakov to tell him he was taking a break in the changing room.

Without waiting for his coach’s reply, Viktor turned and headed towards the changing room. His phone was still open on Yuuri’s page in his contacts so he quickly pressed the call button and brought the phone up to his ear, eager to hear the oddly calming voice he had fallen in love with.

However, the call was sent to voicemail. Viktor frowned.

He usually called at this time and Yuuri always picked up. Did something happen to him such that he didn’t have access to his phone?

Viktor sat down on one of the benches in the changing room and scrolled through his contacts till he found the pet shop’s number which he hadn’t called since he got Yuuri’s personal number.

He quickly dialed it and sighed with relief when he heard someone on the other end pick up the call.

“Hello! You have reached K’s pet shop! How may I help you?”

The greeting sounded rehearsed and overly cheerful and not like Yuuri at all.

“...Yuuri?” Viktor asked tentatively.

The other end went silent for a few seconds before the person replied in the same cheery tone. 

“Oh! You must be Vikenti right? Or should I say Mr. Viktor Nikiforov? Sorry, Yuuri’s out at the moment for a supplier’s meeting. You can either hang up now and call back later around 4 or you could continue talking to me.”

The statement by the other man shocked Viktor, causing him to let out a surprised gasp. He didn’t think anyone but Yuuri had seen him walk into the pet shop.

“How do you know,” Viktor demanded.

“Well, firstly, I am an employee of this shop,” the person replied in a casual tone, “And secondly, I was present when you walked in and started flirting with my best friend. Thankfully you didn’t notice me since you only had eyes for Yuuri.” 

Viktor blushed slightly at the (sadly true) accusation. 

“And thirdly, as a figure skating fan there is no way I wouldn’t recognise you, Mr living legend,” he finished.

_...Oh. _

Viktor didn’t reply immediately, taking some time to consolidate his thoughts.

This man he was talking to now was probably the same man who called him Yuuri’s boyfriend that one time, and was also that one employee that Yuuri kept complaining about who couldn’t do his job right and kept playing with the animals, considering he called himself Yuuri’s best friend. And he was a figure skating fan.

Did that mean that there was a possibility that Yuuri was also a figure skating fan?

Viktor didn’t mind dating fans, but his public and private personas were rather different. If he did end up dating a fan, he would feel compelled to act like the Viktor Nikiforov he portrayed on the media for them, in fear of them rejecting him once they’ve seen his true personality.

That was how most of his past relationships ended anyway.

Viktor sighed.

“Well, at least you got my surname right,” he said for lack of anything better before asking, “Does Yuuri know…?”

“Oh don’t worry. Yuuri broke his glasses that day and couldn’t see a thing. So he probably doesn’t even remember how you look like.” The reply was almost immediate.

Viktor let out a sigh of relief. As long as Yuuri didn’t know who he really was, he could still be himself around him. He wasn’t exactly comfortable with the fact that Yuuri didn’t actually remember him, but that could be dealt with later.

A chuckle from the other end reminded him that he was still in a phone call and he brought his focus back on what the other person was saying at the moment.

“Also, if Yuuri knew who you really were he wouldn’t be talking to you every day of the week.”

“What do you mean?” Viktor asked, confused. That was sudden. Was he hinting that Yuuri was indeed a fan of his? So he would have treated Viktor differently if he had introduced himself as Viktor Nikiforov?

“Well… I wonder if he’ll end our friendship if I tell you. Hmm… He would probably end it anyway when he finds out I didn’t tell him he was texting the Viktor Nikiforov all this time when I knew all along,” the other person rambled on, “So I shall tell you a secret of Yuuri’s. If and only if you swear that you are truly interested in him.”

Viktor felt a spark of irritation. Was it not obvious enough from all the flirting he did (however much he could do via messages and phone calls) that he was absolutely smitten with Yuuri?

“I am,” Viktor declared proudly. “It has been a long time since someone has managed to make me feel so alive. For more than 20 years I have disregarded my love and life, but Yuuri has taught me so much about them in the short time I have known him.”

And he truly meant every word he said, even if it did sound like some sappy fool gushing about the love of his life.

Yuuri was the first in a long time to treat him like...a normal person, outside of his close friends and family, albeit that was because he didn’t actually know who he was actually texting and calling. And it made him feel free, alive, no longer caged within the personality of figure skating legend Viktor Nikiforov he had created for himself. 

Never once had his past lovers made him feel this way. They always fell in love with the figure skater Viktor Nikiforov. And they would always break up with him once they realised he wasn’t the same cool and composed man in private.

But Yuuri didn’t seem to mind. 

Even when all Viktor ever talked about was his dog or how tiring “work” was. 

Even when Viktor messaged him at ungodly hours of the night or extremely early in the morning. 

Even when sometimes Viktor just spammed Yuuri with messages because he was excited about something and couldn’t control his excitement. 

Yuuri never seemed to mind. 

His replies always seemed to match the level of enthusiasm in Viktor’s messages and never once had he told Viktor that he was “too much”.

Viktor could be himself around Yuuri.

And that was (one out of many reasons) why he loved Yuuri.

Viktor was snapped out of his thoughts when he realised that the other man speaking again. 

“-Even if you are living legend and five time World champion Viktor Nikiforov, if you ever do anything to hurt my best friend, I will personally find you and end you.” Viktor only managed to catch the last half of what he was saying.

“Um...okay?” Viktor replied tentatively. Did his reply to the previous question anger the other man?

The other man seemed pleased with this and continued talking in a much more cheerful tone. “Well now that that’s out of the way, Yuuri’s secret is that he’s actually a huge fan of yours. Like, really huge. Way more than I am.”

“Wow” was all Viktor could manage to say. His head was reeling with the new piece of information.

The man on the other end seemed unaware of his current dilemma and continued speaking. “So try not to shock him too much whenever you choose to reveal who you really are. He has a fragile heart.”

“I’ll try to keep that in mind,” Viktor replied, chuckling in an attempt to hide how anxious he was.

It seemed to work since the other man continued talking, not noticing anything wrong with his behaviour.

“Mr. Nikiforov-”

“Viktor is fine.”

“Okay. Viktor, I hope that you are taking my words seriously. I do not ever want to see Yuuri hurt because of something you carelessly said, even if you intended for it to be a joke. I will literally hunt you down and demand an explanation because god knows Yuuri would never tell me himself.”

Viktor felt his anxiousness fade into irritation. How could this man just assume Viktor would hurt Yuuri? Viktor would do anything to protect Yuuri’s happiness. He would even retire from figure skating if Yuuri had asked him to (though that was unlikely since he now knew Yuuri was his fan and which fan would ever wish for their idol to retire).

But then he remembered that he was not just talking to some other man. He was speaking with Yuuri’s best friend, who had probably witnessed some of Yuuri’s lowest moments in life, and was just showing his concern for Yuuri.

Viktor calmed down upon realising this, and ran a hand through his hair to get rid of the last of his nerves.

“I understand. You made yourself pretty clear the first time,” he replied in a calm tone.

“Glad my point got across,” the other man said with a huff.

Viktor felt an odd sense of happiness now knowing that Yuuri had such a wonderful friend around him. He wished that one day he could be such a friend for Yuuri.

_ No, not just a friend,  _ he thought,  _ a friend and a lover. _

“I’m glad Yuuri has someone around him that cares for him so much. You are a great friend erm…” Viktor trailed off. He felt it necessary to thank the other man, but he realised he didn’t even know his name.

The other man seemed to have realised as well that he hadn’t introduced himself, as he promptly did. “Oh! I’m sorry. I forgot to introduce myself. I’m Phichit Chulanont. Best friend of Katsuki Yuuri and employee of the month at K’s Pet Shop!”

“I see,” Viktor replied with a chuckle, this time genuinely amused. He could believe that the man, Phichit, was Yuuri’s best friend. But employee of the month? Based on Yuuri’s messages that seemed highly unlikely. 

“You are a great friend for Yuuri, Mr. Chulanont,” Viktor continued. “Did I pronounce that right?”

“Yes you did and Phichit is fine.”

“Thank you for telling me about Yuuri, Phichit. I will keep your words in mind.”

“You better.”

The playful tone of the other man caused Viktor to laugh, which in turn made Phichit laugh as well. The conversation no longer felt as serious as when it started.

“Yuuri will be done around 3 or 4 in the afternoon. You can call him then. I’m sure you’d rather be spending your time talking to him than to me,” Phichit informed him once the two of them had stopped laughing.

“I think I’ll just send him a text message. He can read it later. And no, you are actually an incredibly interesting person to talk to, Phichit,” Viktor replied truthfully.

“Oh better not let Yuuri hear you say that. What if he gets jealous and comes after me. I may be his best friend but if I steal his man he may really disown me as a friend this time,” Phichit said jokingly.

Viktor gave an amused hum in response. He tried his best not to think about how his face warmed up when he heard Phichit refer to him as Yuuri’s man.

“I’ll make sure to tell Yuuri I only have eyes for him. That all of me belongs to him. That I will never love another person as much I love Katsuki Yuuri,” Viktor replied, trying to sound as sappy and romantic as possible.

But as he was engrossed with doing so, he missed the moment when Mila walked into the changing room.

“Oh my gosh you’re such a sap! Just find him and kiss him already Vitya!”

Viktor whipped his head towards the entrance of the room, and he saw Mila covering her mouth with her hand, trying to suppress her laughter.

“Mila!” Viktor scolded, but it sounded more surprised than angry. He felt his face warm with embarrassment.

Mila only waved at him and signaled that she would wait for him to end the call before she told him what she came for.

Viktor sighed softly and turned his attention back to the phone call.

“Seems like you’re busy. I wouldn’t want to keep you from whatever you’re supposed to do any longer,” he heard Phichit say.

“Indeed. It seems as though my coach has been looking for me. Well, it was nice talking to you, Phichit. Bye-,” but before Viktor could finish his sentence, he was interrupted by Phichit.

“Wait! Before you end the call, can we exchange numbers?” Phichit asked, and then added hastily, “You know, in case of Yuuri related emergencies.”

Viktor chuckled at his behaviour, remembering that Phichit was also a fan of his. “Sure. My number is…”

The message from Phichit came almost immediately, and Viktor replied it just as quickly.

“Okay. Thanks so much, Viktor. I look forward to sharing another conversation with you. Hopefully the next time we speak it is to plan your wedding?” Phichit asked, his tone teasing.

Viktor felt his heartbeat quicken and his face become unbelievably hot. 

“W-Wedding?” he managed to reply, using a chuckle to mask his embarrassment. “You are indeed an interesting person. I too look forward to our next conversation. Goodbye.”

“Goodbye,” he heard Phichit say before he ended the call. Viktor let out a breath he didn’t know he had been holding and slumped in his seat.

He noticed Mila walking over to him with an amused expression and he tried his best to glare at her for making fun of his embarrassment.

“What do you want, Mila,” Viktor asked grumpily.

Mila let out a loud laugh upon seeing Viktor’s embarrassed expression before telling him what she came here for. “Yakov is calling you back to practice. He said you’re break is too long and he expects you to make up for it by staying back to practice.”

Viktor grunted in response and stood up to leave, but he was stopped by Mila who placed a hand on his shoulder.

“You might want to freshen up a little before you go out. Your face is as red as a tomato,” Mila said and started laughing again.

Viktor groaned and hid his face in his hands, which made Mila laugh even harder.

Why did he have to be so embarrassing.

**Author's Note:**

> Temporary working title. May or may not be changed.
> 
> If you find any errors or something feels odd or if you have a suggestion on how I should progress please feel free to tell me! Comments are always greatly appreciated!
> 
> Irregular update schedule. Will try for at least once a month. I'm a busy student (and an A-class procrastinator).


End file.
